Lullaby for a princess
by Kedi
Summary: She had impressive lungs, their little princess Emma; the whole castle would no doubt agree on that... (Shamelessly fluffy AU with baby!Emma)


**Lullaby for a princess**

-.:.-.:.-.:.-.:.-.:.-

**Setting:** Regina couldn't bear to kill her father to get the heart she needed to enact the Dark Curse. Relieved that the Evil Queen's threat at their wedding turned out to be an empty one Snow White and Charming could finally relax and enjoy life with their daughter. The members of the War Council, who over the months of planning for the Dark Curse that never came had in essence become the monarchs' extended family, were all offered permanent lodgings at the castle - which they all accepted. This is a shamelessly fluffy sort of AU.

-.:.-.:.-.:.-.:.-.:.-

Charming had never felt more helpless in his life. None of Granny's old remedies or tricks had worked; the new mobile Geppetto had made had distracted the princess for about ten minutes until she was crying again; and no amount of begging or soothing or singing or pacing could make the wailing stop. Snow had been on the verge of tears herself when Charming gently but firmly sent her to bed a couple of hours before. He had been pacing the nursery with his little girl on his arm ever since, unsuccessfully trying to soothe her into silence. He had quickly found that even though the pacing didn't stop the crying it did seem to calm her ever so slightly. All attempts to place her in her crib had been met with furious wails.

She had impressive lungs, their little princess; the whole castle would no doubt agree on that.

"I take it she's teething."

The soft voice surprised him and Charming turned towards it sluggishly.

"Oh Jiminy," he tried to smile but it came out more a grimace. "Yeah, and she won't stop crying. At this point I'm not sure if she's really in this much pain or if she's just angry because she's tired and uncomfortable." He sighed despondently, gently rubbing circles on his daughter's back. "Shush Emma, sweet darling Emma, please don't cry..."

"Has she been like this for long?"

"I don't know how long anymore. Days. She won't stop crying. We've tried everything. Doc assures us that there's nothing wrong, it's just that for some the teething process is a very painful one and apparently it's a hereditary thing?" He looked at the cricket now perched on the headboard of the crib with exhausted desperation. "But of course no one knows which side of the family she gets it from since none of our parents are alive and we never thought to ask and I don't know why we even bother because it's not like knowing whether she got it from me or Snow is going to help the slightest... Granny and Ruby and Geppetto and the dwarfs have all volunteered to take turns trying to soothe her so Snow and I could get some rest, but Emma screams even louder as soon as anyone but me or Snow touch her..." He trailed off with a shake of his head. Gods he was tired.

"How long since you've slept?"

Charming sighed and closed his eyes, cheek resting against soft blonde curls as his daughter continued screaming in his ear. "Days. I sent Snow to bed a couple of hours ago, but I can't believe she has actually slept. I think it's been days since _anyone_ in the castle has slept."

Jiminy chuckled. "I'm sure it's not quite _that_ bad, your majesty. Though I did hear her even before I entered the family wing."

"You just arrived back?"

"Yeah. Princess Abigail sends her fondest greetings to you, Snow and the little princess. She and Frederick happily accept the honour of becoming Emma's godparents."

Charming nodded absentmindedly. When the silence stretched out Jiminy cleared his throat to get his attention again.

"I met Granny in the great hall and was told to come here immediately."

"Oh? Why? I mean, not that it's not good to see you, my friend, but the message from Abigail could have waited until -"

Jiminy held up his hands to halt Charming's tired ramblings. "I didn't come to deliver the message from Princess Abigail. I'm here because Granny told me in no uncertain terms that you needed sleep, so I was to get up here right away and work my 'magic'." He drew air quotes around the word 'magic' before motioning the prince to lay the screaming princess in her crib. Confused and wary, knowing she would scream even louder if he put her down, Charming nonetheless obeyed – at this point he was so desperate he would try anything; he'd slay a dragon if it would only let his little girl sleep. He gently put his daughter in her crib and tucked her in as well as her angrily flailing little limbs would let him. Jiminy held out something for him which Charming immediately accepted, and only as he retreated his open palm did he realise it was the cricket's tiny travel-megaphone.

Emma filled her lungs to capacity and Charming braced himself for the auditory onslaught he knew was coming.

But then Jiminy chirped, and apparently the sound was so unexpected that it caught Emma's attention and the lungful of air was expelled with a loud huff instead of a wail. Her heavy breathing made it quite clear, though, that she was not convinced she should stop crying altogether and would continue as soon as she saw fit, but for now there was a tremulous peace. Jiminy flew up to the mobile and gave it a gentle push to set it in motion. The look on little Emma's face could only be described as unimpressed and Charming only barely resisted the urge to sigh in dejection. And possibly cry. He couldn't honestly say that one wouldn't lead to the other.

But Jiminy chirped again as he hovered over the little princess and to Charming's surprise it seemed Emma was fascinated despite herself by both the sound and the look of the gossamer wings framed against the turning mobile. Jiminy hovered for a few seconds more as if assuring himself he had her attention before slowly moving over to touch down on the edge of the crib. Emma's eyes followed him, but as soon as his wings fluttered to a rest her eyes moved back to the mobile slowly turning above her.

Then Jiminy started singing.

And to Charming's surprise and relief Emma remained silent.

Hardly daring to breathe lest he break the spell Charming took a small step back, then another and another until he was standing by the door. But even though he was bone tired and longed to join his wife in slumber he still hesitated. Jiminy made a shooing motion at him as he flew up to give the mobile another spin. Charming could see a little chubby hand reach up towards the hovering cricket, and when he heard a sleepy giggle from the crib he was almost convinced he was delirious. Jiminy shooed at him again, and Charming decided that he would not look a gifted horse in the mouth – or in this instance a gifted cricket. Gently placing Jiminy's megaphone on the bookshelf by the door to be collected by the cricket later, he quietly slipped out the door and made his way towards his and Snow's chambers.

For the first time in what felt like forever peace fell over the castle, the only sounds in the nursery the deep breathing of a sleeping princess and soft cricket song.

-.:.-.:.-.:.-.:.-.:.-


End file.
